


Melting Point

by SongsofSecrets



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: AU, Age Swap, Alternate Universe, Comfort, Cute Ending, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Kibana is in his late 40s and Kabu is in his mid 20s, M/M, Older Man/Younger Man, Romance, ageswap!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongsofSecrets/pseuds/SongsofSecrets
Summary: AgeSwap!AU- Universe where in-game characters who are younger are now older and vise-versa save for a few key characters that aren't even mentioned."They asked, they CHEERED for me to be here!"It wasn't in his place to act; Kabu wasn't his apprentice nor trainer. The man was young for a gym leader, especially one who was offered such an opportunity far from home. Nonetheless, the fiery passion he undoubtedly saw in the boy's fierce eyes when he came around as a guest competitor never escaped his mind. It was like staring into a mirror save for one critical thing: Kabu had no control.
Relationships: Kabu/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	Melting Point

His head perked up from the idle conversations in the lobby to a commotion. 

"Heh." 

Without a word pocketing his Rotom, the tall elder league trainer skulked to the noise. A content tune hummed in his head to the malicious buzzing of foreign words he was walking in to. 

The noise was coming from this boy, eyes like steel and hair as black as corviknight feathers. His back was toward him, hands balled into fists and his back bent like a feral litten. 

_ Hey, just like a litten.  _ The gentle thought made the master dragon trainer wrap his arms around the heated young man, draping them over the red-clad shoulders. 

"There's my little fireball~♡ Hibana, you know not to get so hot over minor league battles." 

"D-Don't call me that!" Suddenly burst from the young man in a familiar dialect. "If they didn't bloody want me here, they shouldn't have made me their Gym Leader!" 

Raihan blinked slowly, his nose gently nuzzling into the soft locks of black. _'This again...?'_ Raihan's eyes softened. 

"Hib— Kabu, come on. Out of public eyes, boy; before you have another crew of Dreadnaws floodin' the place..."

He didn't offer the Motostoke leader an option, though, as he stood up straight. With a firm clasp of the hand, Kibana hauled him along by the shoulders. Kabu hissed and spat curses in both common and Hoenn, it was cute. However, the cheerful smile never returned to the Dragon-type master's face, only a troubled knit of the brow. 

It wasn't in his place to act; Kabu wasn't his apprentice nor trainer. The man was young for a gym leader, especially one who was offered such an opportunity far from home. Nonetheless, the fiery passion he undoubtedly saw in the boy's fierce eyes when he came around as a guest competitor never escaped his mind. It was like staring into a mirror save for one critical thing: Kabu had no control. That's presumably how he, the more veteran of the Galar league slinked himself into such a dynamic with the ambitious boy.

Raihan didn't release his grip until they were in one of the back locker rooms in Wyndon Stadium. Gently he shoved the boy away and in front of him. Kabu stumbled, regaining his footing yet not commenting on the rough contact. It wasn't anything new between them. 

Taking a step back, the taller of the two took a seat back on the bench, legs spread and lax with his hands burrowed in his pockets. Aquamarine observed the pent-up ball of ember smoldering with arms crossed, eyes glaring at the ground. Raihan waited...he had lingered around the younger man more than plenty to know when the quiet before the storm was among them.

"... I do not understand. Why? I don't get it..." Kabu growled through clenched teeth. His nails dug furiously into his arms, cheeks aflame in frustration. 

"They asked, they CHEERED for me to be here!"

His head shot up and eyes like daggers flung over in the direction of the elder dragon. Raihan only narrowed his eyes to acknowledge he was listening, fingers raising to rub passive circles into his goatee.

_'There it is'_ Those small embers materializing from those silver orbs before swooshing away from an angered head toss. The kid's fury was through passion or so that little flicker of firey wisps told him.

_He's hurt..._ but, Raihan knew all too well not to say that out loud. It made his heart ache when he recognized the frustration of acceptance, not only of where you've been placed in life— but of yourself. All the more reason he felt so naturally drawn to the lad.

"Kibana, don't just bloody sit there like a damn snorlax!" 

The Hammerlocke leader blinked and refocused on Kabu and a lazy smirk formed on his earnest face. Tears. The boy was finally waning, "Would you prefer it if I stood, mate?"

If looks could kill, it was the young trainer from Hoeen who perfected the sacred art. "Just— Just, I— Argh!" 

The fire emblemed man collapsed onto his knees, head hung low so his hair obscured his face. That was what he had been anticipating, the melting point.

Standing with a small pop of the knee, the tall dragon trainer sauntered over to the Motostoke gym leader. He crouched down in front of him, a kind hand extending to carefully comb through the tousled locks of glossy black. Hushed stifled snivels echoed quietly in their shared silence.

  
  
  


"Come here, lad— before you fall into shambles," Raihan muttered. Using the hand in Kabu's hair, he tugged gently urging him forth.

"Piss off" was the defiant reply he got though actions seemed to intentionally deceive such words as the lad crawled over to him. Thin arms wrapped around his neck, a tear-soaked face burrowing into the side of his neck. 

A deep chuckle rumbled in the back of Raihan's throat, leaning back until his bottom landed on the floor. Long, jacketed arms collected up the smaller male, subtly shifting him into his lap.

"They are cheering for you, Hibana. Sometimes, unfortunately, there are more ways than one."

"Mnn?" 

Kabu pulled away to look at the glowing aquamarine pair that stared back. A brow was quirked, a small pout on his plush lips. The sheen in the lad's eyes cast a look of colorless irises wide-eyed and in curiosity look back at the elder. "Explain...P-Please, sir."

  
  


He tilted his head, smiling knowingly, "What makes Leon and I such popular talk in tournaments?" The boy looked down focusing at nothing in particular as he thought. 

"Your rivalry..."

"Good on you, ya smarter than those hot-headed fumes make you look," Raihan said heartily, earning a glare from the other.

  
  


The Hammerlocke leader encircled his arms around the fire-type trainer and squeezed, placing a gentle kiss to his temple. When he looked back down, Kabu had a lovely shade of color flare up to his cheeks. Nevertheless, he waited respectfully for the answer.

"Every fan— Hell, every citizen in the Galar region cheer for us. They cheer to see us duel, to butt heads, to make-up and duke it out all over again in raging competition. If you are engaging their emotions, you are executing what they paid for."

"I...see," Kabu said slowly, recalling somewhere in his studies of the common language that there was a quote like that...a similar concept. Subconsciously, he had draped himself on the veteran's shoulder, palms kneading the tattered hoodie the older man wore now and again. It was soft and comforting in both texture and its familiar scent.

  
  


Raihan hummed a low, lulling tune as he nuzzled the stray strands of hair in Kabu's innocent face. "Love me or Hate me, both are in my favour. If you love me—"

"...I'll always be in your heart." Kibana heard the smaller man mumble quietly, continuing the notable quote. A lopsided grin tugged at his lips, head perking up just barely so he could gaze at the silver pair glimpsing at him.

"And if you hate me?"

Kabu smirked head lifting up as his deft hand hoisted to poke the dragon masters temple with two dexterous fingers. They lingered there when he finished the quote, _**"I'll always be on your mind."**_

**Author's Note:**

> I am so much in love with the age reversal concept, its absolutely amazing seeing how different the characters interact! Please feel free to leave feedback and comments 
> 
> Also the quote at the end is controversial as to the original Author. So I will state it is a preexisting quote, but it is not Shakespeare.
> 
> Outake:
> 
> Kiba: Ah! Hibana, you know Galarian literature!?
> 
> Kabu: I had to in order to live here -_-
> 
> Kiba: Naww, Come here kid! *smothers in hugs and kisses* ♥  
> Kiba: You just keep getting cuter by the day~
> 
> Kabu: *sighhh* -////-


End file.
